Mastery
by ComedyofErrors
Chapter 16
Willow jumped when she heard front door slam. She'd been dozing against Oz on the sofa. She was really tired lately; well, ever since she went all bitca on the vampires at the Mansion. The nosebleeds had stopped, so that was a plus, but she was still incredibly nervous about what she'd done. She was just Willow. Willow the nerd. Willow the mousy little geek. Where had all of that come from?
She'd practiced magic for a while now, but nothing she'd done had ever come close to that. Magic meant concentrating really hard and practicing the words over and over so they sounded right, then still managing to fail or mess up anyway. For the very first time Willow had just known what to do. The words came pouring out on instinct. It wasn't like she lost control of her body; she'd read that possessed people felt that way. It was more like a wall dissolved in the back of her mind. Part of her that was hidden came out and she used that piece of her mind to cast the spell.
Which was still high on the spookiness meter.
Willow tried explaining the idea to Giles. He said she had crossed her threshold and would see her magical abilities grow from here on out. She was feeling the source of her magic. It was her connection to the collective consciousness and the magic sink of the world. Giles believed she had an unusually strong connection, so if she was careful not to let the magic overwhelm her, she could do powerful things some day.
Oz had been her rock, as usual. But where he normally just gave her a hug or held her hand, this time he'd talked to her about being a werewolf. Willow had always figured that it was just split personalities, Oz and the wolf. The wolf came out and Oz went away, then Oz came back and the wolf was gone. Oz told her that he had a connection to his wolfy half. Sometimes, when he was angry or frightened for her, he could feel the wolf-parts trying to come forward. It didn't happen often, but he was afraid that someday he might lose it and let the wolf take over. Just like she lost it in the Mansion and the magic took over.
He had never told anyone that. Willow didn't feel that she and Oz ever lacked common topics for conversation. But this past week it felt like they were being more open with each other. Ever since that conversation about what Giles called 'their potential for darkness.' Willow suspected that it was a comfort to both of them to know that they weren't alone in the fight. Maybe they could keep each other pointed in the right direction. That was eventually the goal, but right now they were sitting on the sofa in the Summers's living room taking a break from disturbing thoughts like black magicks and werewolves while waiting for Joyce and Giles.
Willow had been working with Oz on his math at the dining room table when they heard Giles drop his tea glass. Joyce had rushed past them to see what the problem was. About two minutes later, the two adults had come into the dining room and sat down with Willow, Oz, and Cordelia, who had been resting upstairs. All the three of them were told was that Buffy had called. That Buffy and Spike wanted to meet Buffy's watcher and her mother at the mall. Joyce and Giles had left immediately afterward.
The three teenagers had sat in stunned silence for a while. They tried to talk decide what this new development meant. Cordelia suspected a trap. Oz just shrugged. Willow had no idea what to believe anymore. Over the past week they'd exhausted the theories about why Spike would have kidnapped Buffy, so she had nothing to add. They just sat silently wondering what would happen next. After a while they moved to the living room to wait in comfort.
The long silence ended when Joyce threw open the front door. Willow had only seen Buffy's mom this angry once: when they told her that Buffy had died. Willow's heart sank when she saw Giles come in. He had a massive bruise on one side of his face and he looked tired. Chagrined. So it was a trap. Willow knew that Buffy wasn't responsible. Her friend would never endanger people she loved as much as Giles and her mom, even if she was now a vampire.
Joyce set her purse on the entryway table and rubbed her temples. It had been a long ride back from the meeting. The moment they entered the car, Giles accused her of enabling Buffy's vampiric traits by supporting her relationship with Spike. Joyce refused to let him rant at her. She was Buffy's mother damn it, not him. Her daughter had just been through a terrible ordeal and had come out with someone who could understand and care for her. Spike. She told the watcher as much. And there was plenty more along the way.
Did Rupert really think that if they got Buffy back, things would be the same as they had been? Her daughter was a vampire. There was no return to normalcy from there. Buffy needed to be with her sire so that she could learn and grow as a vampire. The Watchers' Diaries said as much. Giles grunted and mumbled something about the difficulty of sending his charge off with a mass murderer.
The arrogance of the man! How could that possibly compare to the fact that he sent her off to die in the first place? That she would never get to walk in the sunshine again because he and his Council of Watchers handed her a stake and told her to go kill demons? Rupert paled at that accusation. Joyce was not about to be easy on him. He deserved to be slapped for insinuating that the only reason Spike saved Buffy was to use her as a...a whore. Any fool could see that they were falling in love with each other.
Finally, Joyce gave him an ultimatum. He could either stop protesting the living arrangements between Buffy and Spike, or he could leave Joyce's house. She would not tolerate his presence there tonight if he was going to continue behaving like a supercilious bigot. He could go back to his apartment while she, Buffy, Spike, and the children dealt with Angelus. Rupert grew quiet and murmured that he didn't want to leave her alone at a time like this. He apologized for his comments and Joyce accepted.
Joyce didn't press the matter, but she was believed that Rupert was growing attached to her. She sighed. While she wasn't adverse to the idea, that was something that could be discussed later. Right now she had to talk with the children and prepare them for the coming visit. They were staring at her nervously from the living room. She took a deep breath and walked in to join them.
Giles watched Joyce move into the living room to enlighten Buffy's friends. He debated about whether or not to join them. They might be interested in his input. Then again, he'd made enough of an ass of himself already this afternoon. He would have untold opportunities to do it again tonight, so he'd stay out of Joyce's way at present. He had no doubt that she would be willing to make good on her threat to expel him from the house. He went instead to the kitchen to find some ice for his jaw.
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Willow stared at the ground after Joyce finished her story. It was hard to believe that Spike saved Buffy. It was even more difficult to wrap her mind around the idea that Spike and Buffy were a couple now. They'd only known each other for a couple months, and most of that time they were fighting. As in, to the death. Except neither of them had died yet. Well, technically both of them had died, but that wasn't the point.
Cordelia had been shocked by the revelation about Buffy, Spike, and hand-holding. She couldn't believe it, and kept asking Joyce to say that part again. Then she said something about the creepy-crawly bug-man that Spike hired to assassinate Buffy, and being scarred for life. But five minutes afterward, she was calm and resigned. When did they move to Bizarro!world? Because that's the only place where Cordelia Chase could be open-minded about Buffy and Spike.
Willow cast a glance at Oz. He looked undisturbed by the news that Buffy was not just dating, but living with a vampire. Willow didn't think that Buffy planned on coming home to her mom anytime soon, either. Some part of her had been hanging on to the idea that if they got Buffy home, things would be the same as they had been, except no sunny days at the beach. But that wasn't going to happen. Buffy was a vamp, Xander was practically a mummy with all the bandages, and she was a witch.
And what were they going to tell Xander? Buffy and Spike being together wasn't going to be high on his list of all time great couples. Willow wasn't even sure yet what she thought of the two of them.
She felt Oz rub her arm, trying to comfort her. Well, she supposed, vampire and vampire made as much sense at witch and werewolf. Who was she to judge?
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Spike felt Buffy shiver as they stepped onto her mum's front porch. He patted her arm to reassure her. He knew that she was terribly frightened about her mates' reception of her after the way her wanker of a watcher treated her this afternoon.
Spike was angry about the disrespect paid to his childe. But he was so proud of the way she'd handled it. She wasn't ashamed of what she was or who she was with. Her regard for him didn't mean love, as she'd said before, but it still meant so much to him. Childer were obligated not to cross their Sire when they were first created, but usually they were too timid to defend their Sire. It was the Sire that looked after the Childer. Buffy had turned that tradition upside down this afternoon. It reinforced Spike's belief that someday, after she got a little experience under her belt, they'd be together as equals.
That is, if they got through tonight. Spike had his doubts. He had stationed the minions and Morrie around the perimeter of the house, in case of trouble. If it came from the direction of Buffy's friends, they would run outside and disappear into the suburban landscape. If it came from Angelus, well, Spike's servant were armed with crossbows and stakes. Morrie even had some holy water.
Of their demon family, that left just Spike and Buffy to enter the house on Revello. They stood directly in front of the door. Buffy stared at it uncertainly. It was a portal that led to the remnants of her old life. She lifted her hand to knock, but it trembled so violently that she had to put it back down. Spike put his arms around her waist and hugged her tight to him. She returned the hug with enough strength to crush a human. Spike murmured in her ear, "Luv, whatever happens, I'll always be here."
She looked up at him with teary eyes. "I know. I trust you Spike."
The hug ended all too soon. Spike let go first, trying to give her a gentle nudge in the right direction. Buffy sucked in a deep breath and knocked on the door. It opened instantly to reveal Joyce and the watcher, both of whom stepped out on the porch. The watcher had a giant purple bruise on the side of his face. Buffy gasped when she spotted it. "Giles, I'm sorry, I didn't think it would be that bad-"
The watcher held up his hand to stop her apology. "I think perhaps it's best for all concerned if we try to ignore what was done at our meeting this afternoon. And what was said," he added with a downward glance. "Your mother maintains that this is what I deserve for sticking my chin out too far." He paused for a few instants, then met Buffy's eyes without hesitation. "And I must say that, upon reflection, I was rather crass in my observations. I'm sorry Buffy."
Spike saw the shimmer of a few tears in Buffy's eyes as she leaped forward and hugged her watcher. "I missed you so much Giles." He hugged her back.
"I missed you too, Buffy. I see you're still incredibly strong." The watcher winced, and Buffy let go of him, smiling softly. She moved back to stand beside her sire. Giles continued, "I'm sorry I was acting like a fool earlier. You're right, I have no right to criticize."
Spike sighed. "Acted like an arse, if you ask me."
Buffy giggled in spite of herself. "Spike, he apologized."
"Doesn't excuse it."
"No, I suppose it doesn't." Giles reluctantly extended his hand to the male vampire. "I'm sorry for offending you and your childe, Spike."
The watcher certainly knew something about the proper way to appease a demon. The wording was precise, the kind of thing Spike would have looked for from another master vampire. That didn't mean that he was all that inclined to accept, but he couldn't reject an offer of friendship from Buffy's surrogate father. With equal reluctance, he shook the watcher's hand.
Joyce smiled. That hurdle, at least, was past. "Well, there are some other people inside who'd like to see you Buffy." She gestured toward the door.
Buffy move to enter, but Spike stopped her with a hand on her arm. She looked at him quizzically. Spike turned to Joyce. "Best invite us in Joyce." Buffy's eyes widened. Spike hadn't expected her to remember. In her short tenure as a vampire, she'd never been inside a human house.
Joyce fought to keep the emotion out of her voice at the immediacy of this reminder of her daughter's vampirism, but only partially succeeded. "Why yes," she replied. "Come in, both of you, please." She looked to Spike to see if that was satisfactory. He responded with a small smile, then he nodded to Buffy and they entered, followed by Giles and finally Joyce.
Buffy paused in the entryway, looking around at her old house. It didn't look any different than Buffy remembered. But it seemed like a memory from so very long ago. She felt Spike beside her, also checking out the home. A glance told her that he was focusing on the pictures of herself and her mother. He seemed lost in his own memories. Buffy supposed this reminded him of his human family, who were long since gone. She would ask him about them someday. She suspected that he had a few mementos of them locked away in one of his suitcases.
She was pulled out of her reverie when she heard the heart beats in the living room. Fast heartbeats. Nervous heartbeats. Slowly, she moved into the living room where Willow, Oz, and Cordelia were sitting. Odd that Xander wasn't there. Spike followed behind her, but he was ignored. They were watching her, not him, obviously waiting to see what her first move would be. Buffy could see a crossbow sticking out from behind Cordelia's chair.
Willow couldn't wait anymore. She had to know if this was still her friend. Buffy looked thinner. She looked older. But she still looked like Buffy. She stood timidly and walked toward the blonde girl. "B-buffy? How are you?" She winced. "That was a stupid question, wasn't it."
Buffy smiled. She was trying hard not to cry, but it wasn't working. "Hey Wills. I'm good. You?" Willow nodded and beamed at her. They moved toward each other, slowly closing the distance between them until all of a sudden they were hugging.
Spike didn't want to crowd in on the reunion scene, but he stayed close enough to get to Buffy if there was trouble. Now that the Watcher was subdued for the moment (Spike wasn't any where near ready to take him off the threat list yet), these three were the current threat to Buffy. Red obviously believed that Buffy wasn't going to start a killing spree. He watched to see what the other reactions were. The cheerleader wasn't leaping for joy, but she seemed satisfied too. That left the werewolf. Spike looked his way.
The boy had stood when his bird and Buffy started hugging. He was calm but alert, ready to take care of anything that threatened his witch. He sensed that Spike was watching him and turned his head to meet the gaze. Spike locked eyes with him for several seconds while each one measured the other. It was a silent discussion between predators that established a truce. Neither of them was looking for a fight, just to defend their ladies. They smirked at each other in a moment of solidarity. Spike decided that he could like this werewolf.
Buffy spotted Oz over Willow's shoulder. "Hey, Oz."
Oz broke eye contact with Spike to look at Buffy. "Hey."
Buffy smiled. It was a very 'Oz' response. She turned toward Cordelia. "Hi Cordy. Where's Xander?"
Cordelia had been about to smile and say hello. Then Buffy brought up Xander. Her face fell. It wasn't as if Buffy could have known. And she didn't blame Buffy for what happened. They'd all gone willingly to try and rescue her; nothing could have stopped Xander from going in there with flame-thrower blazing. He had been so brave. He was still being brave, but it hurt to think of him injured. The only thing she could do for him was hold his hand on her daily visits.
Everyone at school thought Queen C was too shallow to feel deeply for someone, especially Xander. This past week, it had been all she could go not to scratch out Harmony's eyes. That bimbo just couldn't get it through her idiot head that Cordelia could love Xander. That Cordelia had almost lost him for good, before they'd even had six-months together. She had never been more frightened in her life than that moment she'd seen the tank explode and hadn't been able to go to him.
Buffy knew instantly that something was wrong. Cordelia wasn't the type to be silent about anything. Something was wrong with Xander. That was why he wasn't here. "What happened?" she asked Cordelia earnestly.
Cordelia calmed herself. He was going to get better. That was the important thing. "Well, since you've been...gone, we've been training to get rid of Angelus. About a week after he took you, we raided the Mansion to kill him and see if you were still alive. Undead. Whatever." She moved her hair away from her face nervously. "They rushed us when we were trying to get out. You remember Soldier Xander from Halloween?" Buffy nodded. "Well he managed to get a flame-thrower for the battle. He killed almost all the vamps single-handed, but then...one of them got a shot at the tank...and...it exploded..." Cordelia couldn't speak as she fought back tears.
Willow took over, unwilling to let Buffy draw the wrong conclusions. "He's alive, Buffy. And he's going to be fine. All the doctors say so. Xander says so to."
"Yes," Cordy agreed forcefully. "He's doing fine now, and he'll make almost a full recovery. Just a few burn scars."
Buffy stared at the girl across from her in shock. "Oh Cordy. I'm so sorry." The rest of the tears she hadn't shed while hugging Willow gushed out and Cordy came forward and hugged her.
"It's okay. It's not your fault." Cordy pulled out of the hug, sniffling. "I'm so glad you got away from Angelus, Buffy."
Buffy nodded. "I didn't do it alone though." She looked behind her and caught Spike's eyes. She motioned him forward with a tilt of her head. He came up beside her and she took his hand in hers. She immediately started rambling in his defense. After all, last they knew she and Spike were trying to kill each other. "Guys, or gals and guy, this is Spike. I know it probably looks kinda funny me standing here with my former mortal enemy, but he's my sire now, and I need you to believe me when I say he's on our side in this and he's not gonna hurt any of you-"
Cordelia held up her hands to stop the rant. "Slow down Buffy. Your mom explained everything to us already."
Buffy chewed nervously on her bottom lip. "Everything?"
Cordy nodded. "Yeah. You and Bleach-boy, together in the big 'We're Together' way."
Buffy heard Spike snort at the nickname, but he said nothing. He'd been unusually quiet, and she was beginning to think that something was bothering him. Even when he wasn't dominating a conversation he was always more vocal than this. She was surprised that her mom had come out and said that Spike was her boyfriend. But then her mom never lived in the land of denial as much as Buffy. "So. You all know that Spike and I are...um..."
Willow blushed slightly and nodded. "Yep. We're knowledgeable."
Buffy's brows furrowed. "So no attempted interventions?"
All three teens laughed. Willow laughed. "Well, we haven't tried breaking the news to Xander yet, but no, not planning an intervention and I don't think..." she looked at Oz and Cordelia who shook their heads to the idea of interfering. "Yeah. See? All with the tolerance."
Buffy found herself grinning like a Barbie at the acceptance. She was happy this had gone well for her peace of mind and for theirs. "Thank you guys so much!"
Cordelia raised her hand. "Not completely 'with the tolerance' here."
"Oh." Buffy frowned.
Cordelia addressed herself to Spike. "Listen Spike, I know you're your own master vampire and all that, but don't you think it might be time to leave punk behind? I mean, that outfit is probably older than your girlfriend."
Buffy watched Spike's jaw drop in shock. She giggled at the sight of Spike, speechless before the fashion critique of Cordelia Chase. "I think I like him just the way he is," she said. He looked at her with surprise and then broke out in a big, goofy smile. Buffy could have heard she swore Willow sigh at Spike's happy expression. Vampy hearing, so maybe she had.
Spike leveled his eyes at the cheerleader. "Thanks for the advice ducks, but I like to stick with the classics."
From the look on Cordelia's face, Buffy knew she didn't think punk equaled classic but had decided not to argue. Spike's smile disappeared suddenly. Buffy watched his face as he seemed to struggle with a decision. Still staring at Cordelia, he murmured in a low voice. "Listen, 'bout your boyfriend...Xander, I guess. Did he..." Spike ran a nervous hand through his hair. "Was he the one that...that dusted...Dru?"
Cordelia was taken aback by the question. Spike didn't sound angry, just sad. Like someone grieving. Duh, he was grieving for his girlfriend of the last century, even if she was a ho. He really must have loved her. She wasn't sure what to say, but Joyce, who had stayed out of the conversation, stepped forward.
Joyce looked hesitantly at the sorrowful vampire. "No Spike, I'm afraid it was me. She attacked Rupert, so I..." she wasn't sure how to finish the sentence with delicacy.
Joyce saw the surprise in Spike's clouded expression. His voice was rough when he spoke, like he was trying to suppress a sob. "She didn't suffer, did she?"
Joyce shook her head. "No. I was very accurate. I don't think she felt anything."
Spike nodded, but couldn't reply. He felt Buffy's arms at his waist as she hugged him in support. She was the only person there who could really understand his fears about his sire. He returned the hug, clinging to her for support as she had to him on the porch.
Joyce decided that perhaps they needed a break before they began discussing tactics. "Would anyone like hot choc-"
Joyce was cut off by a scream outside. Spike and Buffy heard the sound of crossbow strings firing.
*****
Please R&R. Thanks to R'ers and the R&R'ers. Thanks Linda.
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